TLDR
- A new report suggests problem gambling rates in Britain may be higher than previously thought, especially among those who gamble online.
- 11 out of 20 Premier League teams will have gambling company sponsors on their shirts for the 2024/25 season.
- There are calls to ban gambling sponsorship in sports due to concerns about gambling harms.
- The top English soccer leagues have agreed to a voluntary code of conduct on gambling sponsorship.
- The code focuses on protection, social responsibility, reinvestment, and integrity.
- Gambling shirt sponsorships in the Premier League are set to be phased out by the end of the 2025/26 season.
The relationship between gambling and sports in the UK, particularly soccer, is under increasing scrutiny as new data emerges about problem gambling rates and calls grow louder for stricter regulations.
A recent report published by the Gambling Commission, Britain’s gambling regulator, suggests that problem gambling rates may be significantly higher than previously estimated, especially among those who engage in online gambling.
The report, produced by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, found that 2.5% of British adults may have struggled with problem gambling, a figure eight times higher than some previous estimates.
The rates are even more concerning when looking at specific forms of gambling. For instance, 24.5% of respondents who had played online slots in the last year showed signs of problem gambling. This aligns with an international study published in the Lancet, which found that globally, about one in six people who play online casino games or slots experience gambling disorder.
These findings come at a time when the visibility of gambling in sports, particularly soccer, remains high. For the upcoming 2024/25 season, 11 out of 20 Premier League teams will display gambling company logos as their front-of-shirt sponsors. This has led to accusations that clubs are showing “desperation” in their pursuit of sponsorship money.
In response to growing concerns, the top soccer leagues in England have reached a collective, voluntary agreement on gambling sponsorship. The Premier League, Football Association, English Football League, and Women’s Super League have agreed to a code of conduct based on four key principles: protection, social responsibility, reinvestment, and integrity.
The code aims to reduce the prospects of harm and children’s exposure to gambling activity. It stipulates that clubs should only enter into partnerships with companies licensed by the Gambling Commission and requests that family sections inside stadiums should not display gambling advertising or promotions.
However, critics argue that these measures don’t go far enough. Will Prochaska of the Coalition Against Gambling Ads called for an overhaul of legislation to ensure gambling is “permitted but not promoted.” Don Foster, chair of the Peers for Gambling Reform group, advocated for a ban on direct marketing and any form of sponsorship in sport, arguing that gambling should be treated as a public health issue similar to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
There is some movement in this direction. Premier League clubs have agreed to phase out gambling shirt sponsorship by the end of the 2025/26 season. However, the relationship between gambling and soccer remains complex. The English Football League, for example, has a longstanding partnership with SkyBet as the principal sponsor of its three leagues.
For now, the voluntary code of conduct represents a step towards addressing these concerns, but many advocates believe more stringent measures are necessary to truly tackle the issue of gambling-related harm in sports.
